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2.
ILCA started with livestock systems research (LSR)
1972 Tribe report: role of new
research centre ILCA
• Integrate sociological, economic &
biological research & development
related to livestock in Africa
• Study existing livestock systems to
understand why people do what they do
• Examine responses of traditional
systems to development interventions
• Test potential improvements to see
what worked and how livestock-keepers
adapted the ideas
• Research in smallholders’ reality

3.
LSR: an approach that needed to mature
At that time:
• More multi- than inter-disciplinary
• Focus on production (less on processing and marketing)
• Focus on biological and technical aspects
(less on sociopolitical and institutional)

4.
ILCA results relevant for development
• Explanation of rationale behind existing practices helped to
re-orient development
• Research methodology for understanding and improving
existing livestock systems
• Key contextual information on livestock systems in different
ecological zones in Africa
• Overviews of specific aspects of livestock systems central not
to Western science but to African farmers, e.g. browse
• Increased capability of researchers to think in systems terms
& to see what type of research is relevant for development

6.
But still some outcomes relevant for
livestock systems development
For example:
• Characterisation of indigenous
livestock breeds confirmed
their value in prevailing systems
• Networks on livestock policy,
forage, small ruminants etc
helped inform scientists and
development practitioners
worldwide

7.
Renewed attention to development impact
in livestock innovation systems
2002: New era with new Director General
• Strong senior management support for work with development
partners with more explicit focus on poverty reduction
• Work in drylands recommenced
• A few more social scientists
• New theme: Enabling Innovation
– enhancing adaptive capacity
“on the move”
• 2007: Innovation Works Unit
set up multi-stakeholder
co-learning platforms